Driving can be deadly rite of passage for teens

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Acquiring a driver's license often is considered a rite of passage by teenagers. However, that milestone is accompanied by a growing trend of young people sustaining injuries or being killed in vehicle crashes.

According to the Network of Employers For Traffic Safety, motor vehicle crashes are the largest risk factor for teens, surpassing drugs, alcohol, school violence and suicide. Studies by The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety show that as of 2000, 16 teenagers die every day in motor vehicle crashes.

In Georgia, two in five teens in are involved in a collision every year, according to Safe America Foundation and the Governor's Office of Highway Safety.

The Teenage and Adult Driver Responsibility Act (TADRA) became effective Jan. 1, 2002, and was enacted largely to counteract the number of young people seriously injured in car accidents.

TADRA established a more detailed and graduated licensing program to apply to Georgians between the ages of 15 and 18.

Step 1 is the instructional permit for 15-year olds. Step 2 is the intermediate license (ages 16-18), with step 3 being the full license for drivers 18 years of age and older.

TADRA also stipulates school attendance for those under age 18 and license suspension provisions for such offenses as attempting to buy alcohol by a minor, racing, reckless driving, assault of school personnel or possession of drugs, alcohol or weapons on school property.

Bob Dallas, Director of the Governor's Office of Highway Safety, stressed "education and enforcement'' are key parts of combating teen crashes. The goal, he said, is to educate teens and parents alike about new laws and ways to reduce the risk of accidents and injuries, such as not speeding or drinking, wearing seatbelts and promoting educational forums such as the Teen Driver Education Program.

Officials pose a car accident as part of a Teen Driver Education Program recently offered on the grounds of Lockheed Martin in Marietta.

Lauren Peeples/Special

This program aims to address three major causes of collisions by teen drivers- inexperience, speed and distractions.

Demonstrations presented during the program recently offered on the grounds of Lockheed Martin in Marietta involved the extrication of victims from a simulated crash. The scenes were intense as the "victims''' limp bodies were removed from the smoking, mangled vehicles.

Attendees also were invited to participate in instruction through classes on drinking and driving, distractions, seat belts and injury prevention and car maintenance.

Wearing special goggles, student volunteers experienced the reality of being a drunken driver during the session on drinking and driving.

Dave Taylor, 15, of Hiram, tried the goggles firsthand. Dave noted, ''The goggles messed up my vision by making my body feeling lopsided. I could hardly see at all.''

The Smyrna Police Department simulated a DUI pullover, breathalyzer test, walking a sobriety line and actually being placed under arrest.

The officers itemized each cost, for a total that could reach $10,000 or more, not to mention community service and even jail time.

Officials pose a car accident clean-up as part of a Teen Driver Education Program recently offered on the grounds of Lockheed Martin in Marietta.

Lauren Peeples/Special

Sessions on distractions stressed the role not paying attention can play in causing accidents. Various distractions, from phones and food to unruly passengers and tire blow-outs, were identified. Role-playing activities were given to educate drivers on how to deal with these distractions.

Teens were offered the chance to try out a driving simulator, which allowed the students to experience real-life driving situations, such as adverse conditions, traffic and hazards.

Fifteen-year-old Allana Neely of Atlanta practiced her driving skills on a simulator. Like other students using the simulators, she noted how a moment of distraction often ended in an accident.

"I learned that it is important to pull over if anything flies into your car - birds, insects, etc.," Allana said. "I also learned that going too fast could have deadly effects.''

Through the seat belt and injury prevention session, students said they were shocked to realize how a person's body reacts when unrestrained during a vehicle rollover. This effect was achieved through the use of an actual vehicle with dummies.

Attendees also were provided with information on the Teen Driving Institute, TADRA and underage drinking. Parents received workbooks to assist instructing teen drivers.

The Teen Driving Institute is an offering of The Safe America Foundation. Through the Institute, teens are offered a computer-simulated driving experience, even before they can receive a learner's permit. Classes are five hours long and are scheduled during the week and on Saturday.

Lee Rhyant, vice-president and general manager of Lockheed Martin's Marietta site, said the company became involved in the teen driving program because the effort was "more than just talk'' and gave useful information to aid in the prevention of teen driving tragedies.

He said the company has been very excited with the public's response to the program and hopes it becomes an ongoing event.

"There have been several requests to take this event to communities throughout Georgia," said Pat Wilder, vice-president of public relations for Safe America. "The success of the Teen Driver Education Program was the cooperation of local public safety organizations, businesses and schools - a formula that could be duplicated in any community.''

Len Pagano, President of Safe America, echoed those sentiments, in expressing his desire to see this become an event that can eventually be carried to all parts of the state and help reduce teen driving tragedies.

One speaker summed up the sentiments of all those involved in the event, when he stated the main objective was to prevent every parent's worse nightmare of that phone call or knock at the door and to help every teenage driver realize that while they may not believe it, it can and does happen to teenagers, just like them every day.

He said drivers seldom realize that their automobile is actually a 4,000 pound bullet speeding down the highway.

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